Cigar conveyor

ABSTRACT

Apparatus comprising a conveyor for moving cigars, means for transferring the leading cigar from said conveyor and means for arresting the movement of all but the transferred cigar during the process of transference.

United States Patent Inventor Frank Holleuton Richmond, Va.

Appl. No. 796,514

Filed Feb. 4, 1969 Patented June 15, 1971 Assignee AMF Incorporated CIGAR CONVEYOR 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 198/34, 198/106 Int. Cl. 865g 47/26 FieldofSearch 198/34, 26, 23, 106

Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan AttorneysGeorge W. Price and Eli Weiss ABSTRACT: Apparatus comprising a conveyor for moving cigars, means for transferring the leading cigar from said conveyor and means for arresting the movement of all but the transferred cigar during the process of transference.

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W N Q Q M m ,v w u w N Q I, I E c. Q m b m L a m J I \r l 1.; 2% PM: mW Cf Mn: 3 n- U i \1. H ww v6 5 a d F my 6% m GM 5 A My 5. Ma 8 K N A R F PATENTEUJUN] 5197: 3584-7728 sum 2 nr 2 IN VIIN'IUR. FRANK HOLLENTON AT. ORNEY CIGAR CONVEYOR The present invention relates to cigar conveyors and, in particular, to apparatus for regulating the feeding of cigars for separation from the conveyor.

In the process of cigar manufacture, the industry employs machines in which cigars are conveyed or operated on in side by-side lateral rows, and from which individual cigars are serially separated for transference to other machines for sub sequent operation. For example, the sequential operations of crimping, tip application and cellophane overwrapping are all accomplished on separate machines, connected by intermediate conveyors,- with the cigars arranged in lateral rows with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel. it is essential, for high-speed troublefree operation, to provide proper regulation of the cigar supply from the conveying mechanism to the infeed station of the respective machines since too many cigars in the approach to the infeed station produce excessive cumulative pressure on the leading cigar preventing smooth unhampered separation, while not enough cigars produce sluggish movement and misoriented separation of the leading cigar. Both of these conditions result in cigar damage and jamming of the machine.

It is the object of the present invention to provide apparatus for regulating the feeding of cigars on conveyors.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cigar feed regulator for use on continuously moving conveyors.

lt is another object of this invention to provide apparatus for insuring the smooth trouble-free separation of laterally abutting cigars.

It is the specific object of this invention to provide apparatus for regulating the feeding of cigars which will insure persistently timed cigar separation, automatic infeed lockout at low supply, automatic infeed resumption on sufficient supply and equalization of undue cumulative pressures at point ofseparation.

These and other objects too numerous to mention here will be apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a conveyor showing the structure of the present invention applied thereto;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are views similar to FIG. 1 showing the further operation of the present device;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1.

Turning to FIGS. 1 and 3, there will be seen generally a substantially endless friction belt conveyor on which a plurality of cigars C are transported from left to right in side-by-side lateral arrangement to the infeed station 12 of a machine such as a cigar cellophane overwrappers (not shown). The conveyor 10 is of the endless belt type, mounted on at least a set of forward and rear rollers 16 rotated by suitable connection to the drive mechanism of the machine or any other suitable source of motive power. Additional details of the construction of the conveyor and their connection to the machine are omitted here since such are well known to those skilled in the art.

Cigars are initially delivered to the conveyor 10 from any other machine device as required, as for example, from the original cigar-rolling machine either directly or through a conveying apparatus of the type shown in Ser. No. 730,315 filed May 20, 1968. It will be appreciated that as the cigars accumulate on the conveyor 10, there is built upon the forwardmost cigars entering the infeed station 12 a back pressure which tends to compress the leading cigars together. This compression would adversely effect the separation of the cigars at the infeed station. On the other hand, it will also be appreciated that should there be an insufficient supply of cigars on the conveyor, they would, because of the differences in weights and coefficients of friction, tend to skew and misorient themselves before reaching the infeed station.

The infeed station 12 comprises a stationary shelf 18 adjacent the forward end of the conveyor 10 to which the cigars are pushed. Straddling the shelf 18 is a walking rake mechanism 20 comprising a pair of transversely connected horizontal beams 22 each having a plurality of vertical tines 24. Located adjacent to stationary shelf 18 between the tines 24 is a vertical stop wall 26 which extends horizontally in a fixed table 28. The rake mechanism 20' is of the type shown in US. Pat. No. 3,156,343 issued 1 1/10/64, the details of which are incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, the rake cycles in stepwise fashion in a rectangular pattern as shown by arrow A to first elevate the cigar from the infeed station 12, forward it above the wall 26 and then downwardly to deposit the cigar onto the table 28. As the rake 20 further cycles, it sequentially indexes the separated cigars along the table 28 while simultaneously removing cigars from the infeed station 12. Cigars are consequently serially separated and delivered in spaced lateral arrangement in timed sequence to the cellophanewrapping machine. Since the walking rake 20 acts to vertically elevate the leading cigar from the shelf 18 the need for proper regulation of the position and compression on the leading cigar at this point is obvious.

The present invention provides an infieed regulator comprising an elongated dead plate 30 mounted above the friction belt surface 10 a distance slightly more than the diameter of the cigars C conveyed on the belt. The dead plate 30 is connected at its forward and rear end with transverse crossmembers 32 by thumbscrew adjustment means 34 or other suitable height adjustment by which its height may be determined. These crossmembers 32 are connected to a vertical member adapted to engage with and secure in a retaining plate 36 which is fastened to the frame or other support F of the conveyor 10 or machine. The retaining plate 36 is provided with an elongated slot 38 and screw 40 by which it may also be adjustably fastened along the length of the conveyor 10.

The forward end of the dead plate 3011s bifurcated providing a pair of parallel horizontally disposed tines 42. Between the tines 42 is mounted a rocker lever 44 pivoted about a point 46 substantially midway between its ends. Thus, the rocker lever is adapted to rotate in a substantially vertical plane normal to the conveyor 10. The rear end of lever 44 is provided with a cap 48 secured by fasteners 50. The cap extends a short distance over the end of the lever, and is sufficient weight to normally tip the lever 44 counterclockwise against the weight ofits remaining portions.

At the extreme rearward end of the bifurcation of dead plate 30, there is provided a cigar sensor and lockout member 52 comprising a substantially L-shaped member pivoted at its apex 54. The leg 56 of the sensor lockout member is longer than its staff 58 and somewhat curved to depend clockwise normal to the conveyor 10 so as to engage with a cigar passing under it. The staff 58 is provided with a shoulder 60 positioned so as to be engageable with the projecting lip of the cap 48. Consequently, should there be no cigar on conveyor 10 as seen in FIG. 1 the sensor lockout member will depend and the shoulder 60 and cap 48 engage so that counterclockwise rotation of the rocker lever 44 is prevented. Contrarywise, if the leg 56 engages a cigar on conveyor 10, as seen in FIG. 2 the sensor lockout is rotated counterclockwise permitting free movement of the rocker lever 44.

At the forward end of the rocker lever 44, there is mounted a cam plate 62 with a contoured surface 64 extending in elevation from right to left. Above the cam plate 62 is mounted a cam roller 66 secured to a transversely extending axle 68. The axle extends to either side of the device and is secured at each end to a bearing block 70 which is joined. to a forward extending beam 72. The beam 72 is provided at its foremost end with a vertically slotted member 74 into which is fitted a rigid rod 76. The rod 76 is fixed to and extends from the rake beam 22 into the slot 74 so that it moves vertically therein. Thus the beam 72 is linked to the walking beam structure so that it can be made to reciprocate from right to left along the path shown by arrow B only in correspondence to the forward and rearward movement of rake mechanism. Thus, as the rake 20 is elevated or depressed the roller 66 remains stationary. But as the rake is moved leftward the roller 66 contacts the contoured surface 64 of cam plate 62 depressing the forward end of the lever 44 so that it enters into the path of the cigar conveyor (see FIG. 2). As the rake cycles into its forward path, the roller 66 moves to the right permitting the rocker lever 44 to counterrotate, elevating its forward end out of the path of the cigars (See FIG. 3).

The extreme forward tip of the rocker lever 44 is provided with a dowel 78 secured in transverse fashion to its undersurface. The dowel 78 is adapted to insure engagement of the lever end with the cigar when pivoted in clockwise fashion by operation of cam roller 66. v

In operation, cigars C are fed to the conveyor 10 from the rolling machine or other operative machine and are moved along the friction surface until they reach the infeed station 12, abutting against the wall 26 of the walking beam 20. In the absence of a full row of cigars, the sensor lockout 52 determines the fact and pivots clockwise as seen in FIG. I to maintain depression of the forward end of the rocker lever 44 after the first cycling of the rake. The dowel 78 is maintained in the path of the cigars C preventing successive feeding to the shelf 18 notwithstanding further cycling of the rake and the dead plate shelf 18 remains empty after the leading cigar is removed. As the row backs up, the sensor lockout 52 becomes disengaged and the rocker lever 44 is permitted free movement at which time the row of cigars advances to place the next leading cigar on the shelf 18.

The rake mechanism 20 driven by the operative machine or other suitable drive is continually activated through its cyclical operation (arrow A), and with the sensor 52 free rake is elevated sequentially lifting the lead cigar while the cam roller 66 is stroked through its linear path (arrow B) causing the successive depression and elevation of the rocker lever 44. The transverse dowel 78 successively engages the next leading cigar of the oncoming row and equalizes the forward compres sion of the cigars and maintaining them in relatively fixed position during the removal of the leading cigar from the shelf 18. The leading cigar is freed from the row and is easily separated during the elevation of the rake by combined operation of platform 22 and the rocker 44. As the rake 20 rises the roller 66 does not move and the leading cigar on shelf 18 is held loosely between wall 26 and the dowel 78 and edge of the rocker lever 44 so that it is prevented from rolling or skewing or misaligning itself as it' moves. As the rake 20 continues its movement through the cycle, by moving to the right and the roller cam 66 moves to the right permitting the lever 44 to rise disengaging the next to the leading cigar (now the leading cigar) which is then compressed onto the shelf 18 at the infeed station 12. As the rake then moves leftward the new next lead ing cigar is held by the depression of the rocker as noted. This process continues cyclically to serially feed the cigars until the last of the cigars passes under the sensor lockout 52 which then falls, engaging the rocker lever 44 which holds the few remaining cigars from moving forward, thus leaving the infeed station 12 completely free.

Thus will be seen that there has been provided simple but effective means for regulating the flow and infeed of laterally spaced cigars, to insure trouble-free separation and delivery of the leading cigar. Persistent timed separation, automatic lockout at low supply and resumption on sufficient supply are all successfully obtained. It willbe obvious that the present invention may be employed with separating devices other than the walking beam rake illustrated. Simple elevating means, gripping fingers, etc., may be substituted and suitable connecting linkages may easily adapt such alternate devices to the pivotal finger-regulating means here disclosed. As many changes and modifications are obvious to the structure described it is intended that this specification be illustrative only and that the scope and breadth of this invention be limited solely by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for regulating the feed of cigars to a machine for performing an operation thereon comprising a substantrally endless belt on which cigars are frlctlonally carried along in side-to-side abutting relationship with their axes transverse to the direction of movement of the belt, shelf means at an end of said belt for receiving the leading cigar and supporting the same in relative stationary position, a cyclically movable rake for lifting said leading cigar from the shelf means and for depositing said leading cigar in the apparatus for further operation, a rocker arm freely pivoted above said conveyor adapted to depend into the path of said cigars and being provided with a cam surface and including a cam roller in engagement with said cam surface, said cam roller being connected to said rake so as to be movable therewith, said cam surface and cam roller being contoured so as to cause depression of said arm on elevation of said rake to cause said arm to depend into the path of said cigars to arrest the movement of all but said leading cigar on transference of said leading cigar from said endless belt and to elevate said arm on depression of said rake to permit movement of said cigars on removal of the leading cigar.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 including dowel means mounted at the end of said rocker arm parallel to the axes ofthe cigars to engage said cigar and hold the same.

3. Apparatus for regulating the feed of cigars to a machine for performing an operation thereon comprising a movable conveyor wherein said cigars are arranged with their axes transverse to the direction of movement of said conveyor, means for transferring the leading one of said cigars from said conveyor to said machine, a rocker arm pivotally mounted above said conveyor adapted to depend into the path of said cigar, means linking said transfer means and said arm to cause said arm to depend into the path of said cigars to arrest the movement of all but said leading cigar on transference of said leading cigar from said conveyor and to elevate said arm to permit movement of said cigars on removal of said leading cigar, and means for physically sensing the presence of a predetermined number of cigars on said conveyor and arresting the movement of the rocker arm in depending position on the absence of said predetermined row.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, including an angular lever pivotally mounted above said conveyor and to the rear of the rocker arm, said lever depending freely into the path of said cigars to sense the presence of cigars on said conveyor, said lever including latch means engageable with said arm to latch said arm against movement on sensing the absence of cigars on said conveyor and to be disengaged from said arm on sensing the presence of cigars thereon. 

1. Apparatus for regulating the feed of cigars to a machine for performing an operation thereon comprising a substantially endless belt on which cigars are frictionally carried along in side-to-side abutting relationship with their axes transverse to the direction of movement of the belt, shelf means at an end of said belt for receiving the leading cigar and supporting the same in relative stationary position, a cyclically movable rake for lifting said leading cigar from the shelf means and for depositing said leading cigar in the apparatus for further operation, a rocker arm freely pivoted above said conveyor adapted to depend into the path of said cigars and being provided with a cam surface and including a cam roller in engagement with said cam surface, said cam roller being connected to said rake so as to be movable therewith, said cam surface and cam roller being contoured so as to cause depression of said arm on elevation of said rake to cause said arm to depend into the path of said cigars to arrest the movement of all but said leading cigar on transference of said leading cigar from said endless belt and to elevate said arm on depression of said rake to permit movement of said cigars on removal of the leading cigar.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 including dowel means mounted at the end of said rocker arm parallel to the axes of the cigars to engage said cigar and hold the same.
 3. Apparatus for regulating the feed of cigars to a machine for performing an operation thereon comprising a movable conveyor wherein said cigars are arranged with their axes transverse to the direction of movement of said conveyor, means for transferring the leading one of said cigars from said conveyor to said machine, a rocker arm pivotally mounted above said conveyor adapted to depend into the path of said cigar, means linking said transfer means and said arm to cause said arm to depend into the path of said cigars to arrest the movement of all but said leading cigar on transference of said leading cigar from said conveyor and to elevate said arm to permit movement of said cigars on removal of said leading cigar, and means for physically sensing the presence of a predetermined number of cigars on said conveyor and arresting the movement of the rocker arm in depending position on the absence of said predetermined row.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, including an angular lever pivotally mounted above said conveyor and to the rear of the rocker arm, said lever depending freely into the path of said cigars to sense the presence of cigars on said conveyor, said lever including latch means engageable with said arm to latch said arm against movement on sensing the absence of cigars on said conveyor and to Be disengaged from said arm on sensing the presence of cigars thereon. 